Smart Gilas crushes Cebu Niños

CEBU, Philippines - The Smart Gilas Pilipinas showed they're getting in top shape for the upcoming FIBA-Asia Championship after they crushed the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños, 89-62, in the first game of their Visayas-Mindanao tour the other night at the Cebu Coliseum.

Even if it was a one-sided game, the Cebuanos were treated to a complete hardcourt entertainment as the Nationals displayed a series of fancy plays and dunks especially from Japeth Aguilar.

The 6-foot-9 Aguilar scored 10 points in the first half, including four breakaway slams. That powered to Gilas a commanding 16-point lead at halftime, 42-26.

The Niños came alive in third period as Stephen Padilla, Abby Santos and Mark Jeffries conspired in a 11-2 run to trim the deficit down to just seven points, 37-44.

But Gilas outscored the Niños in the final four minutes of that period with Chris Lutz, Dylan Ababou and naturalized player Marcus Douthit putting their acts together to regain their double-digit lead, 68-45.

It was an all-Gilas show from there onwards, with the Nationals mounting their biggest lead of 29 points, 85-56, entering the final two-minute zone of the contest.

Lutz led Gilas with 17 points, while Ababou and Casio added 14 and 12 points, respectively.

Santos paced the Niños with 14 points, but he was the lone Cebu player who netted twin figures.  (FREEMAN)